Remote operation devices (so-called remote control devices) are used with numerous household electronic products, for example as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 05-056484. Many remote control devices comprise numerous keys corresponding to functions possessed by the equipment to be operated.
As DVD recorders and other household electronic products have acquired more functions and features in recent years, the number of keys provided on remote control devices to operate these products has increased markedly, and operation has become exceedingly complex. With the aim of simplifying operation of such highly functional products, there have for example been attempts to employ hierarchical-structure menus. However, operations to select menus using keys provided on the remote control device are themselves a major burden on the user. Hence a method of operating various types of equipment with numerous functions simply has been sought.